Guest column: Deaf people deserve to enjoy things, feel included
Deaf Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, is annually celebrated the last full week in September to increase public awareness of deaf culture, heritage and American Sign Language.
I became instantly, profoundly deaf when I was 8 years old. I never felt so alone, even though I was surrounded by family and friends. From birth or whenever people lose hearing, we are deprived from hearing sounds like others do and have to adjust to function effectively in society.
More than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents, but less than 10% of parents learn American Sign Language. Unless parents or other family members learn ASL, family gatherings, weddings, picnics and parties can be a very lonely and frustrating experience for deaf people.
I recall my first birthday as a deaf person. They all gathered around me and sang “Happy Birthday,” but I could not hear anything, nor the applause that followed.
I recall when I was about 12 years old having family members come to my house looking solemn. Some were crying. When I tried to ask them what was going on, they just shrugged and patted my head. I later found out that my grandpa died.
School was always a struggle because during my time ASL was not encouraged, and my parents did not know about deaf schools.
Finding and maintaining employment was also a struggle. I needed a sign language interpreter before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace. Establishing relationships with co-workers was a challenge because I could not follow conversations during break times or talks around the water cooler. So, I never really felt like part of the team.
When we had tornadoes and watched the news, there were no captions at that time, so I was truly unable to understand how close to danger I was until I actually saw a twister and had to run to safety.
Communication is a huge barrier, and it separates deaf people from others. There are simple things people can do to include us.
Employers can include deaf and hard of hearing job applicants and workers by providing sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices and captioning for job interviews, meetings, performance evaluations and company events. Encouraging employees to learn ASL also can help us feel more valued and foster better teamwork.
Sports events, concerts and various community events can be made accessible by providing the same accommodations, plus FM systems, captioning, special seating, eye-friendly backgrounds and locations where deaf people can easily see the action without visual barriers.
Deaf and hard of hearing people can enjoy music and dancing if speakers are located on a wooden floor so that the vibrations of the music can be felt, helping us dance to the beat of the music.
Deaf and hard of hearing people deserve to be treated with equal respect and dignity. We can do anything others can do, except hear. You can make a difference by making us feel more included in the same events and activities you enjoy. After all, it’s best to share enjoyment of life with others.
David Hankinson is programs manager of the Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in the Vocational Rehabilitation division at Oklahoma State Department of Rehabilitation Services. He has been employed as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, job coach, deaf interpreter, independent living specialist and advocate for deaf rights.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Guest column: For deaf people, gatherings can be frustrating, lonely
